A catalogue of stories of connection and compassion between humans and other species for use in public exhibits. Each story emphasizes what we have in common versus what makes us different, and shows other animals as someones instead of somethings.
When Erin decided she'd like to breed her favorite horse so that she could have a foal that would carry on her characteristics, she was surprised when the foal, Rio, was born and looked nothing like either her father or mother. She is a paint - white with brown spots. She found that Rio was very intelligent and determined to be respected as independent and What she grew to realize, was that Rio demanded respect and acceptance, and had her own struggles with separation anxiety and being kept fenced in. She shows Erin that she can escape whenever she wants to but chooses to stay.
Amanda and her fiancee decided to adopt a puppy from a list that helps servicemen and women place their dogs if they can no longer take care of them. She describes the emotions she observers in Henry and her own heart opening as she sees how she will be as a future mother, and also how her fiancee will be as a Dad.
When Wyatt and Amy found a second Anatolian Shepherd dog to help guard their livestock, they saw how the older rescue dog taught Roxie the ropes of life on a farm at the base of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. One of the many stories for the One Language Project - an expanding catalogue of stories of compassionate ways in which humans relate with other species.
A falconer talks about his connection with one of his hawks, and what he's learned Cisco, the one he raised since birth. One of the many stories for the One Language Project - a growing catalogue of stories of compassionate ways humans relate with other species.
Two short films spliced together which were part of the live performance Buccaneers of Buzz: Celebrating the Honeybee, a production produced in 2008 (Winner of the Goldstar Award for innovation by the Massachusetts Cultural Council)
Beekeepers describe the honeybee sting in with quirkiness and humor, warmth and a holistic mindset. From Buccaneers of Buzz: Celebrating the Honeybee, film edited and produced by Miranda Loud with beekeepers around New England. In this sequence - Nancy Mangion, Landa Townsend, Todd Hardie and Megan Durney.
When I started filming and researching for the project Buccaneers of Buzz back in 2008, I discovered so many holistic-minded beekeepers who fit the One Language Project. Here is Meghan Durney from the Sunbridge Institute describing when the queen kicks the drones out of the hive.
Beekeeper Megan Durney talks about the time of year when the bees kick the drones out of the hive...excerpted from the live performance for tap dance, marimba, voice and video.
I was gathering stories two summers ago about people who have deep connections with cows and stories to share that show their personalities and emotional lives and bonds, and discovered the incredibly brilliant and intuitive Anne Wiltafsky who founded the Kuhschule (Cow School) just outside of Zurich. Here is an excerpt of an interview with her talking about her connection with one of the cows.
I grew up with dogs, but I had never heard of a Treeing Walker Coonhound before. Elizabeth and I had looked for a rescue dog for quite some time, but had not found the right match for one reason or another. However, the second we saw Raleigh staring into the camera with his big ears and broken leg we knew we had found our dog.
We officially met Raleigh for the first time in a parking lot in Connecticut. He was in a van filled with other dogs that were also being rescued from a kill shelter in North Carolina. Raleigh did not jump up and lick our faces; he approached us cautiously and with curiosity. On the ride back up to Cambridge, he sat in the back seat calmly looking out the window as dogs often do. We knew it would take time for Raleigh to be completely comfortable with us and our home…
His story is a bit heartbreaking. He was originally a hunting dog, but he is extremely anxious of loud noises and so he was left in the woods. I am unsure of how long he was on his own, but it likely was not long as he ended up being hit by a car – resulting in the broken leg mentioned earlier. From there he went to a high kill shelter, to a no kill shelter, and then to someone’s home. His original adopter had some sort of accident where his broken leg was either put in danger or had pressure applied to it and so he snapped. That person, reluctantly, gave Raleigh back as the accident left too many issues with trust – and a dog like Raleigh simply needed someone that had strong foundation at trust at the very start.
Knowing that story, we felt and still feel lucky to have Raleigh as a part of our family. He keeps us company when we go running. He gently climbs on our laps and shoves his head under our arms (he’s a great snuggler). And he remains a dog that needs patience and persistence: he’s ~OK with kids, not so great with other dogs, and he’s been known to cause destruction on occasion. But he’s great with us.
I was so moved by what I saw and felt at the snow-covered farm I visited last weekend - not only by the animals and their stories, but by the woman who has rescued the animals and helps girls in the Department of Social Services who are able to heal through trauma by working on the farm.
“Piglets as young as three weeks old learn their names and respond when called. In fact, research from Pennsylvania State University revealed that pigs could be trained to play computer games; using their snouts to control joysticks, they were able to hit their targets with 80 percent accuracy. Pigs are also affectionate and sociable, enjoying the company of humans, which is why they can make excellent pets. ”
— Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows; An Introduction to Carnism by Melanie Joy, Ph.D.
Jake Francis with two of his pigs. Photo courtesy of Brian Hodges.
Jake Francis and his pigs. Photo courtesy of Brian Hodges
We were looking for a playful dog for our previous older greyhound Jade, and we looked on petfinder for an Italian grehound to be her playmate. Through a series of events we found Lou. In the photo we saw he looked so refined, with his front paws crossed and a dreamy but surprised look.
We decided to go and visit Lou to be sure. we wanted more information about why he was available. They were suspiciously avoiding talking about his past, saying repeatedly how healthy and handsome he was, and “look at his passport and see how many places he’s been!” The woman who had him before probably started out spoiling him, then realized she didn’t have the time for his energy and curiosity. He came with an enormous bag with the name Lou on it, full of outfits - from a fisherman’s sweater to an orange prisoner jumper. He also had a big dog bed that said “Dog House”. This might give you a sense of where he had come from.
